Chapter 37 - Acquiring Blood

"Where is he? I thought he was here? I guess I'll just keep it here," Eloise whispered and dropped the coat onto the chair nearby.

Just a step. She stumbled on something. "Ow!!! What the fuck did I step on!!!" she screamed, glancing at the litter on the ground. "Geez, he really should rearm to organize things," she mumbled and picked it up.

It was an empty wine bottle. Its top was clean, broken, and the contents were obviously missing.

"Okay… weird…." She placed it on the desk and walked out. Right then, the door opened from the other side. "Mister Fred?"

"Oh.. Miss Eloise, what are you doing here? You really should go take a bath and retire for the day," he whispered awkwardly, looking over her shoulders.

Eloise glanced back, confusedly. "If you are looking for Duke Raymond, he is not here."

"I see… then shall I escort you back to your room, miss?"

"No need, Odette is with me." she smiled at him and walked away.

Odette held her hand softly and placed a thick woolen shawl over her shoulders. "Miss you really should care about yourself more."

"Yes, yes….." she glanced back at the door, which banged close. "it's so weird. Fred said that Raymond was not there but what is he going in for?"

"Maybe he had some document to hand over," Odette said, fussing over her chopped up hair.

Eloise pouted and pushed her hands away. "Oh.. OHHH, he must be waiting for Raymond to talk to him," she giggled mysteriously.

The confused maid followed after her giddy master. "Miss at least tell me what's the good news."

"Nothing... can you feel the love tonight~~"

Inside the room, Raymond slouched against the walls. "Is she gone?"

"Yes, oh my goodness, your teeth… wait, did you drink the wine," Fred brought over as many wine bottles as he could.

"It's not working." Raymond painfully closed his eyes. "I am so hungry…."

Fred paused… he tore his sleeves off and held out his hands. "Do you want to drink from me? I'm okay with it,"

"Shut up! Get out! Just don't get close to me." Raymond pushed him off forcefully. "go Fred… don't make me repeat myself."

Fred worriedly peered at him for a while before moving out. He closed the door firmly from the outside and hurried away.

On the way, he unexpectedly ran into Miss Eloise.

"Mister Fred…. What's wrong? You don't look too good," Eloise worriedly glanced at him.

"N—no I'm good." Fred bowed to her and rushed away to the place where he could help his friend. To the placed with corpses. Thankfully, there was not devoid of any.

The corpse from the battle would be usually embalmed and sent to the family, but since the battle happened over a ship, the corpses will usually be thrown overboard after talking their badges or incinerated. The ashes will be handed over the ashes to their families.

He pulled a random soldier closer. "Where are the corpses?"

"In the fire room, sire. They were burned after ceremony along with coal. Their badges have been procured to be handed out to their families." He said respectfully.

"Shit!"

"But the pirates will be thorn aboard," the man said urgently.

Fred paused and ran back to him and held his shoulders. "Where?"

"Star board side. Away from spectators. What is it, sir? Is there a problem? You look too pale."

"That's good." Fred controlled his expression swiftly. "Good job soldier,"

The man smiled and saluted at him.

Fred acted casual when he was in sight of people, but when he was alone inside the small pathways he sprinted.

Starboard side was not that far but the corpse cleaning action started quite early that would only means that he had very less time to acquire blood for Raymond.

As he ran to the place, he could see them tossing a man away.

"Wait!"

The soldiers paused and glanced at him questionably.

"Sir!" they saluted simultaneously.

"At ease. Where are the corpses?"

"Our men sir? they are.."

"No, the pirates!" Fred shouted anxiously.

"umm.. this was the last one," the man regretfully showed him the one he had tossed down. "Sorry sir, were you searching for someone from the deceased. We have a record of them all if you want I can…"

"No… just stop…"

 Sighing loudly, Fred left to his room in a hurry. Since he could not acquire any blood from the corpses, it was up to him to help Raymond. With a clean needle, he pricked his hand and started to pump out a small bag.

"This would do, right?" he whispered, wiping at the needle mark. He made sure to clean it with strong alcohol swaps and bandage it tightly so that Raymond would not get a whiff of it. "That old man is such a trouble maker," he mumbled with a small smile.

With the blood bag in hand, he hurried back to Raymond's study.

He locked it from inside. "Raymond, I have blood here come out,"

Raymond slowly crawled out from the crevice he was hiding. With a sad expression, he took the blood from him.

He tore through the bag and drank from it hurriedly. Only the coppery taste in his mouth stopped his pain. His aching stomach felt the warm blood and calmed down.

Fat tears dripped down from his face. "I'm really a monster..... Fred… what can I do? What can I do? Just today I thought I might be a bit human but….. I'm not…"

"I don't wish to exist anymore."

Fred smiley slapped him. "Are you done wallowing in your sorrows?"

Stunned, Raymond glanced at him, eyes wide.

"What? If you die, who is going to do all your job, huh? I'm just your assistant but I want to be a great doctor, remember that. So be alive and do your job."

"Oh… you are right.. I will do my job well, my dear Fred,"

"Ew, don't disgust me," Fred grimaced openly.